Justice: Adonais Is Watching
by CinnamonT
Summary: Alternate ending for TNG episode Justice. Don't know why I felt compelled to rewrite a bad episode.


TITLE: "Justice: Adonais Is Watching"  
AUTHOR: Tetisheri  
RATING: G - general  
ARCHIVE: Please ask  
  
SUMMARY: This is an alternate ending to TNG 1st season episode "Justice". Yep, the planet of the 'scantily-clad joggers'.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't ask me why I felt compelled to re-write the ending of a stinker of an episode years after the series ended, I just did. For those who don't remember, Wesley crushes a bunch of flower and is condemned to death. The Edo-God ship in orbit prevents them from beaming him to safety. Picard gives a big speech about the failings of absolute justice and the Edo-God lets them leave.  
This is written in an informal script style. And Adonais - as in "Who Mourns for Adonais" - means God. The line that Picard quotes is from "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.  
  
  
  
"Justice: Adonais Is Watching"  
  
  
ON THE EDO PLANET  
  
When Picard is faced with the dilemma of having to let Wesley be executed or defy the Edo's standard of justice as well as their own, he goes to the Edo and proposes an alternative.  
  
Picard: "Your law requires the penalty of death, but does it matter whose?"  
  
Edo: "What do you mean?"  
  
Picard: "Suppose I were to take the boy's place; my death instead of his. Would that satisfy the law?"  
  
Edo: "But you ... it is the law-breaker who must be punished."  
  
Picard: "As captain I am responsible for the actions of my crew and, according to our own laws, can be held accountable for them. Let me stand in the boy's place."  
  
Edo (surprised): "You would do this?"  
  
Picard: "Yes. If a life must be forfeit then let it be mine. At least, consider my proposal, discuss it with the others, before you answer."  
  
Edo: "Very well. I will speak with the others."  
  
  
ON THE ENTERPRISE - READY ROOM  
  
Picard returns to the Enterprise to make the necessary arrangements. In his Ready Room, he makes his last log entry and puts his personal affairs in order. Then he summons Riker to explain what he has done.  
  
Riker: "You can't."  
  
Picard: "I already have. These are my final orders, you will carry them out." (pause) "Will ... I knew it might come to this." You have to understand. I had to bring her husband's body to her, and I'll be damned if I'll bring her the body of her son."  
  
Riker knows Picard refers to Beverly Crusher and the day he brought back his fallen comrade and friend, Jack Crusher.  
  
Riker: "We could just beam him up, and to hell with what the Edo God thinks."  
  
Picard: No. There is more at stake than just one life. These are the moments that define us. We cannot say we believe in the rule of law and then break it when it becomes inconvenient. We cannot say that we respect the culture of others then flout it when they do not do as we wish. In the end, it is our actions that recommend us, not our high sounding words."  
  
Riker would like to argue but he knows his Captain is likely to win a battle of logic.  
  
Riker: "And if the Edo refuse your request?"  
  
Picard: "I will go down to the planet anyway. Then you will beam the boy up and leave. Report back to Starfleet."  
  
Riker: "I don't like it."  
  
Picard: "You don't have to. Now, I've authorized the transfer of command on my death or upon your leaving orbit. Now, the command codes will have to be ...."  
  
Picard reviews the checklist of all that must be done to ensure a smooth change-over. He falls back on the familiarity of routine to cover the strain of the moment and thoughts of what is to come.  
  
  
NEW SCENE: BEVERLY'S QUARTERS  
  
Beverly: "You think this is what I meant? You or Wesley?"  
  
Picard: "You don't have to choose; it's decided."  
  
Beverly: "Just like that."  
  
Picard: "Beverly --!" (stops) "I can't make everything turn out all right, but I can save your son. I failed you once, I failed Jack, I won't fail again."  
  
Beverly: "Even if it kills you?" (pause) "Then it's guilt."  
  
Picard: "And duty."  
  
Beverly (disgust): "Duty!"  
  
Picard: "Yes, duty. It comes with the uniform and the rank. You know that."  
  
Beverly (contemptuous): "Yes, I know it. 'It is an honor and a privilege to serve.'"  
  
Picard: "It was what Jack believed in. Don't denigrate him by denigrating it."  
  
Beverly: "Well, I mustn't do that now, must I? I should be stoic in my widowhood. Well, I'm not! Honor left Wesley without a father. Honor left me without a husband. Honor is cold comfort in the middle of the night! Living is better, here and now!"  
  
Picard: "If I could have brought him back ... if I could have traded places ---"  
  
Beverly: "Oh God, Jean-Luc, I know that. I don't blame you." (pause) "No, that's not true. I do blame you. I blame Starfleet. I blame him and I -- I blame me."  
  
Picard starts to speak but she cuts him off.  
  
Beverly: "I know, I know. It's nobody's fault. I've heard it all before. I know it by heart .... It doesn't change anything."  
  
Picard: "Beverly, take your son ... and go on."  
  
Beverly: "You think you're sparing me, you're not. No matter how this turns out, I'm standing over a grave. Am I supposed to be grateful it's yours and not my son's? -- I am!"  
  
She turns away as tears threaten. Picard hesitates, as men do when women cry, then he goes to her.  
  
Beverly: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."  
  
Picard: "I know."  
  
For this one moment, Picard allows himself to hold her. He's a condemned man after all, he's entitled to one last wish. She composes herself and pulls away. He searches for a way to end this.  
  
Picard: "It has to be this way. I'm the captain."  
  
Beverly: "Yeah, well, I'm a doctor. Death is my enemy. I will always hate it."  
  
Picard (to himself): "'To strive, to seek, to find, and never to yield.'" (she frowns) "You never give up a fight ... Jack loved that about you."  
  
Beverly: "Jean-Luc ..."  
  
She struggles with all the things left unsaid between them. He lets two words stand for all the things that can never be said.  
  
Picard: "I know."  
  
  
NEW SCENE: READY ROOM  
  
Riker has informed the rest of the crew. The Edo have contacted the Enterprise to agree to Picard's exchange.  
  
Troi: "You must speak to Wesley. He must understand why you are doing this."  
  
Picard: "I think you are better qualified for that, Counselor."  
  
Troi: "I will be there, of course, but he is going to feel guilty for the rest of his life and nothing I say will stop that. He must hear it from you. You must ... forgive him."  
  
Picard: "Counselor --"  
  
Troi: "All of this started with his accident. He will blame himself and coming from anyone else it will sound like false platitudes. Only you can convince him." (Picard still on the fence) "Otherwise Wesley may throw his life way over a past he cannot change and you will have saved him for nothing."  
  
Picard (irritated): "Very well. Anything else?"  
  
Troi: "I will accompany you down to the planet."  
  
Picard: "I don't want anyone there."  
  
Troi: "Commander Riker and a med-tech will be coming too."  
  
  
NEW SCENE: BRIDGE  
  
Troi exits the Ready Room to the Bridge. She pauses to stare at the Edo God ship on the wide screen.  
  
Troi: "Open a channel to the ship."  
  
At the security station, Tasha is surprised at the sharp tone from the normally amiable Betazoid woman.  
  
Tasha: "Channel open."  
  
Troi walks to the center of the bridge, still looking at the Edo ship.  
  
Troi: "You have what you want. The Edo's peace and harmony will be preserved. And ours is torn apart. Is that justice?"  
  
There is no response.  
  
  
NEW SCENE: EDO PLANET  
  
Picard, Riker, Troi, Beverly, and a med-tech beam down. Picard goes to where Wesley is being held. Wesley, looking forlorn, springs to his feet as soon as he sees Picard.  
  
Wesley: "Sir, I'm sorry. I didn't know, I --"  
  
Picard: "I know. Now listen carefully. The Edo have agreed to release you. Your mother is waiting to take you back to the ship."  
  
Wesley can't hide his absolute relief.  
  
Wesley: "Thank you, sir!" (then realizing) "There's more ... isn't there?"  
  
Picard: "I will be taking your place." (overriding any protest) "It has already been arranged, but I want you to understand, this is my choice. Every captain knows they may be called upon to go down with their ship, to sacrifice their own life to save those of their crew. We accept this -- and you must too."  
  
Wesley is upset but doesn't know how to put into words what he is feeling.  
  
Picard: "What I do, I do for duty, but you and I know, in some fundamental way, when I lay down my life for you - you owe me. I'm saving your life so you may go on and do all the things you have within you to do. But more than that, you owe me a life well lived. Le savoir vivre." [Fr. know how to live] "Only then will I be repaid. You may not understand now, but you will. Promise me you will do this." (Wesley wavers) "Promise me."  
  
Wesley: "I promise."  
  
  
NEW SCENE:  
  
Beverly and Wesley beam back to Enterprise. Troi has a private moment with Picard just prior to the execution.  
  
Picard: "They say that a thing is never quite so precious than at the moment you are about to lose it. I don't want to die."  
  
Troi nods but says nothing. What is there to say? Then finally, the Edo summon them.  
  
Troi: "I will remember you always for this."  
  
  
NEW SCENE:  
  
Picard is brought before the Edo for execution. He requests for a final statement in which he speaks out against absolute justice.  
  
Picard: "When the flowers are replanted and its container repaired, there will be nothing to suggest any harm was ever done. But were the boy killed, the pain his mother would've felt would never end. And even if that were not so ... should he have died, more than just a life is lost: all that he might do, all that he might become, is also lost. When the young die, the future dies with them. It is too much. The harm caused by the punishment far outweighs the harm caused by the offense. It is not a just compensation. My death may satisfy the law, but it will not make this right."  
  
Picard is injected with the poison. The med-tech confirms his death. Without warning the Edo God beams Picard aboard their ship. Riker and crew return to Enterprise.  
  
  
NEW SCENE:  
  
The Edo God returns Picard to the bridge, alive.  
  
Picard: "What happened? I ... I died."  
  
Troi (smiles): "Apparently to forgive is divine."  
  
  
THE END  
  
  
Addendum:  
  
Picard (to Wesley): "It seems you are not in my debt after all. Now you only owe it to yourself." 


End file.
